Can you believe that 2015 has been and gone already? It's absolute madness, I still can't wrap my head around how fast my year went. As I look back at the highs and low of the past twelve months and get mentally ready for a fresh start, I've rounded up the best beauty discoveries that made my year a little more special and will surely be at my side in the months to come as well, as they are just fabulous.
Starting with skincare, one of my favourite discoveries of the year has been the Pixi Glow Tonic (£18), a resurfacing toner that leaves my skin radiant, smoother and softer after just one use. It's effective yet it doesn't irritate my sensitive skin and I can't honestly remember life before this, although I'm sure it must have been really dull. I'm already half way through my second bottle and I don't see myself stopping anytime soon. Another and more recent Pixi find is the Hydrating Milky Mist (£18), a must-have for dry and de-hydrated skin. It's soothing and refreshing, and delivers extra hydration to the skin without overloading it with too much product. Love it!
Moving on to makeup, 2015 has been such a great year for foundations and base products in general, and I'm sure my picks won't come as any surprise. For a lighter coverage I've been loving the BareMinerals Complexion Rescue (£26), a lightweight gel formulated base that evens out any redness and adds a lot of radiance to the skin. It's perfect for dry skin days as it glides over dry patches instead of enhancing them and it's seriously hydrating.
Another obsession has been the L'Oreal Infallible 24 Hours Matte (£8.99), which is the best base for long days. It's matte but it doesn't suck all the life out of the skin and it covers pretty much anything without that 'caked on' look. Finally, I have to mention my love for the Charlotte Tilbury Magic Foundation (£29.50), which represents the best compromise between radiance and staying power. It glides beautifully on the skin and can be build up to whatever level of coverage you desire, and always leaves my complexion looking flawless and glowy.
As for best concealer, the crown goes to the Urban Decay Naked Skin Concealer (£17.50). If you love the Nars Radiant concealer but find that it creases on you, this is the one to try, as it doesn't settle into fine lines and wears all day. It provides great coverage whilst remaining creamy and easy to blend, it's an all-around winner in my books.
I feel like I've been talking non-stop about the Becca Shimmering Skin Perfectors Pressed (£30) lately, so I will try to keep things short and sweet. They're so intensely pigmented it only takes the tiniest amount to create a stunning glow that is mostly radiance with just a bit of fine sparkle too. I have the shades Opal and Champagne Pop - finally! - and they're both so dreamy I don't exclude I'll be picking up more in the future.
For eyes, I didn't buy a ton of eyeshadows this year but there are two that really stood out to me. The Charlotte Tilbury Eyes To Mesmerize (£22) are heaven in a pot - smooth and easy to blend, and with a gorgeous pigmentation that is easy to build up to whatever intensity you need. I own two shades - Jean is a beautiful brightening hue similar to MAC Naked lunch, but the scene stealer is Marie Antoinette, the most perfect bronzy antique gold. I'm obsessed.
Lastly, I feel this recap wouldn't be complete without a word on the H&M Eye Shadows (£4.99) - buttery soft and super saturated, they feel more expensive than what they are and the colour range is fantastic. I can't wait to try more from the line in 2016.
Last but by no means least, I've been loyal to matte lipsticks for the most part of the year, right up until the Clinique Pop Lip Colour + Primer (£16) came out. With a built in primer, these lippies glide effortlessly on the lips, giving the rich pigment and wear of a lipstick and the comfort of a balm. They feel so luxurious and moisturizing, a real treat for dry and chapped lips.
What have been your 2015 standout products?
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